Task
What are we looking for?
Scientists and hygiene specialists agree: about one third of all hospital infections can be avoided. Your task is therefore to identify and explain ways how to prevent hospital infections. Possible areas (but not limited to) where innovative ideas or interventions are needed are:
- Education: how could medical procedure and hygiene related trainings of (a) healthcare workers (e.g. in hygiene measures) and (b) patients/ visitors be designed to be more sustainable and effective in preventing infections?
- Behavior: how could behavior of healthcare workers be positively influenced (i.e. nudged) to contribute towards higher compliance rates to standard medical procedures and hand hygiene?
- Technology: what kind of technologies could be applied e.g. to identify risk situations, alert healthcare workers to take action, monitor high risk areas like Intensive Care Units (ICUs)?
- (Single-use) products: what kind of products (new or existing) could help to stop the spread of germs and contribute to safer treatment of patients? How need these products be (re-)designed to be used save and convenient?
What are the relevant evaluation criteria?
The evaluation criteria of the community and the experts are:
- Clinical relevance
- Potential to reduce number of HAIs
- Feasibility
- Internationally applicable